Heroes of Veritas: Necromantic Inclinations (Book 3)

Chapter Eleven: The Right Place

The first few places that Lydia and Harmon looked at left something to be desired; either the neighborhood was on the sketchy side or the apartment itself was too far from the Academie campus. The Academie Esoterique was situated in its own private, walled off neighborhood called the Quartrier Tour that was bordered on one side by the triangular shaped arts district that locals commonly referred to as TRIAD, and on the other side by the neighborhood where Harmon’s parents had their townhome - Parc D’Or.

After those first few viewings went sideways, the duo paused and looked through the newspaper again, this time letting Harmon choose which listings they should look at. Lydia pouted, despite knowing that the drow had lived in the city his whole life and obviously knew a lot more about it than she did. Still, he took the time to explain his choices to her, and she with his guidance she felt like she was learning more about the city than she would have just wandering around on her own.

The way that Harmon explained it, the Academie’s location mirrored the way that the institution was constantly being pulled back and forth between the progressive arts movement of the TRIAD and the more traditional views coming from the politicians of the Parc D’Or. Both those neighborhoods were, accordingly, very expensive - though many apartments in the TRIAD attempted to look stylishly shabby. So, rather than starting the next leg of their search with apartments in those neighborhoods, they started looking across the other side of the river, which separated the wealthy northern side of the city from the less well-to-do southern side.

The streets of the Centre-Sud neighborhood were not as well manicured, nor their yards as well kept, as those of the Parc D’Or - if they had yards at all. But, it’s not like Lydia needed a yard. In fact, she preferred the more industrial vibe of the refurbished warehouse that they’d just come from in the neighboring section of the city called Les Quais, which also had some pretty rad and rowdy looking clubs and bars. She’d almost suggested that they take the place then and there, right up until Harmon mentioned the nearby fish market and how it would start giving off funny smells once salt curing season started.

The view she was looking at now, however, reminded her that letting go of something that didn’t fit was just a way of making room for the things that do. She was standing on a small balcony that, if you angled yourself the right way, gave you a small view of both the river and the tower of the University, which rose above its surroundings and seemed to draw the eye with its gleaming, round stained glass windows.

“So, what do you think?” Harmon asked as he leaned against the railing of the balcony. 

The estate agent had left them alone for a few minutes to talk things over, after giving them a brief warning that apartments in this building tended to go quick and she had several more interested parties wanting to view the place after them.

“Well, as long as you’re not about to tell me the place this haunted, or some other such reason we shouldn’t live here…?” Lydia said, quirking an eyebrow at her soon to be roomie, who only shook his head. “Then, I think we ought to take it.”

“Me too.” Harmon affirmed, smiling in a way that leant warmth to his chilly blue-white eyes. It warmed her up too, though she looked away before the blush on her cheeks could spread any further. “I’ll speak to the letting agent.”

Even after signing the rental application, standing at what would most likely become their kitchen counter, it all felt a little surreal. Here she was, in another country, planning to live with a guy she barely knew and attend an Academie whose students - if Harmon was any indication - were far more advanced in the field of artificing than she was. And yet, she couldn’t help the wide smile on her face. Yeah, her life had changed at a rapid clip. Everything she thought she wanted, everything she’d been working toward, had shifted under her feet. Still, Lydia couldn’t remember a time when she was more sure that she was currently in the right place, at the right time.

As Harmon added his signature to the leasing document, which flashed once he finished crossing off the x at the end, Lydia turned her gaze to the blank canvas of an apartment that they were standing in. The space had a large, modern open plan living space with a small but workable galley-style kitchen and a long island with dark butcher block counters. It also had high ceilings with exposed pipes and beams that contrasted starkly against the fresh white of the walls.

Even though she knew they weren’t in the wealthy part of town, Lydia had been amazed by how advanced the technology was in even this efficient, two bedroom apartment. From what her parents had told her, Lydia knew that mana crystal technology back home in the Dynasty had improved by leaps and bounds in recent years. That said, even the Dire Beavers - who were always trying to stay at the forefront of new technological developments - didn’t have self adjusting heating and cooling systems for their buildings. Even their water systems were the old style - with baths and sinks that had to be filled and then allowed time to heat up before the water was hot enough to be usable.

This apartment boasted instant hot water on call, and instead of traditional wood fireplaces and stoves it had a variety of fascinating crystal powered appliances. It even had a device that, purportedly, washed and dried clothing. And these were considered standard amenities!

“I’ll send a runner once we’ve had time to review your application and give you an answer either way.” the lettings agent said, giving Lydia another one of her...looks.

It was a look that was hard to explain, seeing as how Zircyns weren’t the most expressive people. Lydia felt that she was both being judged, and that the woman was intensely curious about her. She probably wasn’t the first foreigner that the agent had ever seen; in the twenty years since the end of the Zircyn invasion the famously isolationist country had opened up considerably to both foreign visitors and investors. But, Lydia’s look was the diametric opposite of a drow - short, curvy, black hair, pale skin and colorful eyes. 

The curiosity on the agent’s face only became more obvious when Harmon spoke again, “Shall we go, m’Lady?”

Lydia furrowed her brows at the odd use of her title, and mouthed ‘m’lady?’ at Harmon before saying, “We probably shouldn’t keep Miss Moira any longer than we already have.”

“Thank you so much for your time, Mademoiselle Moira.” Harmon said, motioning for Lydia to go ahead of him as he held the front door open for her. “We look forward to your response.”

Once they were out on the street, Dia elbowed Harmon in the ribs lightly. “What the void was that about?”

“We have a better shot if she knows that you’re nobility.” Harmon replied easily.

“But you’re already a nobleman, aren’t you?” Lydia looked mildly befuddled. 

“No. My Uncle disinherited us from the family after my father relinquished his Zircyn citizenship and took up a post with the Dynastic government. Becoming an ambassador for a foreign power after turning double agent for said foreign power was a step too far for old Uncle Reverb.” Harmon said, shaking his head a bit. “I love my father, but some days I feel he put our family in a tough spot. My mother’s family hasn’t spoken to her since she married my father, though they didn’t formally disown her. My brothers and I are Zircyn, born and bred, and yet...on paper we’re citizens of the Dynasty. In the end, we’re not really welcome in either place.”

As The Beast rumbled back down the darkening cobbled roads of the Centre-Sud, heading back toward one of the seven bridges that spanned the Fourchette river - which had many forking branches that joined to one wide stream around which the city of Nouvieux had been built - Lydia considered Harmon’s words.

She’d often wondered what it would have been like to have different parents; cool parents like Echo and Cadence, or intense parents like Ichigo and Fifi who were constantly putting pressure on the twins to as they said ‘reach their potential.’ It irritated her to no end when her friends whined about how amazing her parents were, but now she was starting to see that perhaps her friends were on to something. Lydia’s parents might not be the shining heroes she saw them as growing up; they were still human, and had their flaws. But, all things considered, they were still pretty good parents.

She may have lost herself for a while there, but it wasn’t because her parents didn’t do their best to give her a solid place in the world. She’d never once questioned whether or not she belonged in the Dynasty, and with her parents being who they are no one else would ever have questioned her place there either.

They rounded a corner, speeding up a little as The Beast climbed up the Pont de l’Arc bridge, and Harmon’s grip on her waist tightened a little. His hands were big and warm, tucking under her leather jacket, his fingers digging into the thick knit of the weather she was wearing underneath. There was another thing that just felt right, though Lydia had yet to admit it to herself.